Margin for error near zero when building through the draft

On Saturday, I asked Cavaliers fans in a tweet if they realized J.J. Hickson was averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Portland Trail Blazers.

I followed with a tweet about the team not maximizing Anderson Varejao's trade value by dealing the popular moppy-haired center when he was averaging 14 points and more than 14 rebounds per contest.

There were quite a few interesting responses, most of which defended Cavs general manager Chris Grant and his plan to build the team through the draft, while maintaining the salary-cap flexibility to strike big in a trade.

I can understand why many of you think this is a good idea, especially because Cleveland has never been Destination A for marquee free agents.

The problem with Grant's plan, however, is the Cavs can afford very few mistakes in the draft lottery, which assuredly will be their home for the third consecutive year.

If the draft is going to provide the core of a championship franchise, those building blocks must contain at least two All-Stars, and preferably three.

The Cavs have the necessary franchise-altering talent in point guard Kyrie Irving.

Thompson is averaging 13.3 points and 11.3 rebounds in seven January games. Waiters is averaging 14.3 points and 1.2 steals on the season, but the shooting guard has made only 37.4% of his attempts from the field and 31.6% of his tries from 3-point range.

The 21-year-olds are solid pieces, but do you really believe either is going to be the Robin to Irving's Batman on a title-winning team?

I'm not saying the Cavs have the wrong idea here. But I do question if their plan will work, considering 1.) Irving must commit to the franchise long term for the team to have any chance; 2.) It might be very difficult for them to land a true sidekick for Irving in a trade; 3.) The lack of talent on the current roster.

At 9-30 after Sunday night's loss to the Lakers, the Cavs have the league's second-worst record. The problem: The 2013 draft is generally regarded as weak, which obviously isn't good for a team that likely will be selecting in the top five and, assuming the Lakers sneak into the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed in the Western Conference, could have another pick in the top 18. (The Cavs earned the right to swap the 2013 first-round pick they are owed from Miami with the Lakers' 2013 first-round pick, but only if the latter selection is outside the top 14.)

Are you on board with the plan as a third consecutive season with a top-five overall draft pick looms?

With only about $28.1 million committed in salary for 2013-14 (Varejao, Irving, Thompson, Waiters and Alonzo Gee), your optimism is understandable.

I hope you're right.

The flaw in all this: When it comes to the draft, the Cavs can't afford to be wrong.

After the seemingly inevitable firing of Pat Shurmur, would any of us have believed the Browns might begin the 2013 season with Derek Anderson on the roster and both of the Chargers' 2012 coordinators — Norv Turner and John Pagano — calling the shots on offense and defense, respectively. Turner and Pagano, the brother of Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, are rumored to be joining new Browns coach Rob Chudzinski's staff in Cleveland.

After a riveting weekend of playoff games showed us once again how monumental of a challenge it is for the NFL to provide a stadium game-day experience that is anything close to the enjoyment of watching all the action at home, very little could help the Browns' promotional staff more than the return of Derek Anderson.

No word yet on whether Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. will also be available.

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